Fish catching instrumentality

ABSTRACT

A fish catching instrumentality, including means for selectively adjusting the tension on a dual set trigger lever mechanism, to provide for variable release of a relay trigger lever fish engaging member. The dual set trigger lever mechanism includes a trigger lever with first and second arm portions. The trigger lever is pivotally mounted to a frame on which the relay trigger lever fish engaging member is mounted. In one form of the invention, resilient means adjustably engage the first arm of the trigger lever while the second arm releasably retains the relay trigger lever fish engaging member in a cocked position. By adjusting the engagement between the resilient means and the first arm of the lever, the tension to release the relay trigger lever fish engaging member can be varied. In another form of the invention, the resilient means may adjustably engage the second arm.

United States Patent Hodshire 45] Nov. 14, 1972 [54] FISH CATCHINGINSTRUNIENTALITY [72] Inventor: Vincent B. Hodshire, 2701 NE.

Adams Street, Peoria, Ill. 61602 [22] Filed: May 17, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 144,130

[52] US. Cl ..43/15 [51] Int. Cl. ..A0lk 97/00 [58] Field of Search..43/l5 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,444 8/1883Wentworth ..43/1 5 1,989,407 1/1935 Ezell ..43/15 2,589,533 3/1952Buchner ..43/l5 2,858,634 11/1958 Bremer, Jr ..43/l5 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 171,951 7/1952 Austria ..43/l5 1,045,731 7/1953 France..43/l5 Primary ExaminerSamuel Koren Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. LeachAttorneyMolinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcofi ABSTRACT A fish catchinginstrumentality, including means for selectively adjusting the tensionon a dual set trigger lever mechanism, to provide for variable releaseof a relay trigger lever fish engaging member. The dual set triggerlever mechanism includes a trigger lever with first and second armportions. The trigger lever is pivotally mounted to a frame on which therelay trigger lever fish engaging member is mounted. In one form of theinvention, resilient means adjustably engage the first arm of thetrigger lever while the second arm releasably retains the relay triggerlever fish engaging member in a cocked position. By adjusting theengagement between the resilient means and the first arm of the lever,the tension to release the relay trigger lever fish engaging member canbe varied. In another form of the invention, the resilient means mayadjustably engage the second arm.

14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED NOV 14 \912 E0 V N M M.

ATTORNEYS FISH CATCIIING INSTRUMENTALITY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to an improved fish catching instrumentality.Prior attempts have been made to provide a device to respond to a fishbiting on a fishhook or to simulate the response of jerking of a hook bythe fisherman as the fish strikes at the bait. The prior art deviceshave generally failed to achieve popularity or wide use due to theircomplex structure, costly manufacturing and lack of an adequatereleasing mechanism. The prior art as disclosed in Wenger U.S. Pat. No.611,400; Sweet U.S. Pat. No. 1,072,672; Partello U.S. Pat. No.1,399,648; Sprongel U.S. Pat. No. 1,604,725; Thompson U.S. Pat. No.2,260,923; Penninger U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,759; Gardner U.S. Pat. No.2,640,291; Loomis U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,074; and Zalonis US. Pat. No.2,889,656, relate to fish catching devices, but none of these patentsdisclose the improved fish catching device including a releasableretaining trigger lever member adjustable to vary the release tension ofthe relay trigger fish engaging member, as in the present invention.

Wenger U.S. Pat. No. 611,400, for example, does disclose a leverpivoting on a frame and engaging a spear to hold same in a retractedposition against the biasing of a spring. The lever is permanentlyconnected to a fishhook at one end, and the other end is engageable withan abutment shoulder on an end of the spear. A fish nibbling at the baiton the hook displaces the hook which causes the lever to pivot, thusreleasing the spear which is biased toward the hook. There is nodisclosure in Wenger of the novel subject matter of this case nor isthere any teaching of an adjustable dual set trigger lever mechanismreleased by a'relay trigger fish engaging member for a jerking-type fishcatching device. A fish catching instrumentality of the type to whichthe present invention is in improvement of is shown in copendingapplication, Ser. No. 876,330 for a Fish Catching instrumentality filedNov. 13, 1969 by V. B. Hodshire, the inventor herein, now U.S. Pat. No.

. 3,618,251 issued Nov. 9, 1971.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a principal aspect the invention relates toa fish catching instrumentality which includes a frame with a relaytrigger lever fish engaging member mounted on the frame for movementbetween a cocked position and a released position. A trigger levermember is pivotally mounted on the frame to move from the set positionholding the relay trigger lever fish engaging member in a cockedposition to a tripped position releasing the relay trigger lever fishengaging member. Resilient means are provided for urging the fishengaging member toward the released position. The trigger lever memberin the set position engages both the resilient means and the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member, hence, the term dual set triggermember. The engagement between the resilient means and the dual settrigger lever member is adjustable to vary the tension on the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member, thus controlling the release of therelay trigger lever fish engaging member.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved, simpleand economically constructed fish catching instrumentality.

A further object of the present invention isto pro vide a fish catchingmechanism which avoids nuisance tripping.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual set trigger levermechanism to allow adjustment of the release tension on the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fishcatching instrumentality which operates independently of any fixedposition of the fish engaging member. Other objects and advantages ofthis invention will be made more apparent in the description whichfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There is illustrated in the drawingpresently preferred forms of the invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the fish catching instrumentalityof the present invention with the trigger lever member in the setposition and the relaytrigger fish engaging member illustrated in thecocked position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention of FIG. 1 with thehook portion of the fish engaging member omitted;

FIG. 3 is a detailed rear elevational view taken generally along line3-3 of FIG. 1, illustrating the pivot mounting of the trigger levermember;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the invention with the triggerlever member illustrated in the tripped position and the relay triggerfish engaging member illustrated in the released position; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a secondembodiment of the trigger lever member of the invention in the setposition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,wherein like numbers refer to like parts, the fish catchinginstrumentality 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes an elongated frame 12having a dual set trigger lever member 14 pivotally mounted thereon.Dual set trigger lever member 14 is shown in set position engaging arelay trigger fish en gaging member 16 and resilient means 18. Frame 12comprises an upper end of the frame whereon a fishing line 20 isattached thereto, and a generally U-shaped member 22 secured to thelower end. U-shaped member 22 has a base portion 24 secured to frame 12,and parallel horizontally extending legs or frame portions 25 and 26 atopposite ends of base 24. Spaced apart frame portions 25 and 26 includealigned openings that define guide means for fish engaging member 16.

The fish engaging member 16 is slidably mounted within the guide meansdefined by the openings in frame portions 25 and 26. Saw tooth disk 27is attached to the bottom of frame portion 26 and cooperates with fishengaging member 16 as will be discussed in the operational descriptionof the invention. The fish engaging member 16 includes a fish hook 28that is secured to the lower end of fish engaging member 16 by suitableconnection means, as for example, by an internally threaded sleeve 29 atthe upper end of the fishhook 28 making a threaded connection with anexternally threaded portion at the lower end of the shank portion 30 ofthe fish engaging member 16. The upper end of the sleeve 29 defines stopor seat 31 which, when fish engaging member 16 is in released position,engages disk 27 to stop movement upward of member 16 without damagingfishhook 28. The shank portion 30 of fish engaging member 16 is circularin cross-section allowing rotation of fishhook 28 without adverselyaffecting the fish catching operation.

If desired, the present invention can be applied to a jerking-typedevice for jerking a fishhook upwardly to sink a hook into the fish, asshown for example, in FIGS. 11 and 12 of my copending application, Ser.No. 876,330, filed Nov. 13, 1969. In such case, the disk member 27 wouldbe removed and a spear member substituted in its place. Line 20 could bejoined to an adaptor secured to eyelet 52, for example, or tied to theframe 12, and a line and hook would be substituted for hook 28. Theoperation of the dual set trigger lever mechanism would be essentiallythe same as described above.

Sleeve 32 is fixed to the upper end of the shank portion 30 of the fishengaging member 16. Sleeve 32 includes an upwardly facing opening 34 inthe upper end thereof, and opening 34 forms the female portion of a maleand female connection means for releasably retaining the fish engagingmember 16 in the cooked position.

Fish engaging member retaining means include trigger lever member orlever 14 pivotally mounted on frame 12 about fulcrum pin 36 for movementfrom a set position holding the fish engaging member 16 in cockedposition (FIG. 1) to a tripped position releasing the fish engagingmember 16 (FIG. 4). Trigger lever member 14 comprises a lever having afirst relatively short arm portion 43 and a second relatively long armportion 44 joined together in a substantially perpendicular relationshipwith the plane defined by pivoting arms 43 and 44 being generallyperpendicular to the plane of frame 12. The pivot axis for the triggerlever member 14 is an axis substantially through the juncture of armportions 43 and 44. The male portion of the releasable connection meansis defined by the end portion 45 of arm 44 of trigger lever member 14.The end portion 45 of arm 44 is detachably insertable into opening 34 ofsleeve 32. Thus, it is seen that the longer arm 44 of trigger levermember 14 cooperates with the upper end of fish engaging member 16 toprovide releasable connection means. It will be understood that the maleand female portions of the releasable connection means could be reversedwithout altering the function of the connection.

Resilient means 18 tension the trigger lever member 14 and urge the fishengaging member upwardly relative to the frame 12. The end 50 of theresilient means 18 which may include an elastic band made from rubber asshown, or a spring made from metal, is secured by an eyelet 52 locatedat the top of frame 12. The other end of resilient means 18 includestrigger arm engaging means 54, which may be in the form of an eyelet orhook 56. Trigger lever arm engaging means 54 and hence resilient means18 are connected to sleeve 32 on fish engaging member 16 via lost motionmember 58. The eyelet portion of trigger arm engaging means 54 is shownengaging arm 43 of trigger lever member 14. As seen in FIG. 2, theeyelet 54, resilient means 18, trigger lever member 14 and fish engagingmember 16 are in substantially vertical alignment.

The trigger lever member 14 pivots about fulcrum pin 36. FIG. 3 showsfulcrum pin 36 mounted in fulcrum pin mounting members 38 and 40. Slot42 enables the trigger lever member 14 to extend therethrough to pivotabout pin 36 located on the opposite side of frame 12. Though in thedisclosed em bodiment of the invention, fulcrum 36 is on the side offrame 12 opposite the trigger lever member 14, it will be understoodthat the fulcrum pin could be secured on the opposite side of the frame12 or perpendicular to the frame. Thus, instead of pivoting in a planegenerally at right angles to the frame, the trigger lever member couldpivot in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the frame 12.

OPERATION In use, the trigger lever member 14 is moved to the positionof FIG. 1 and the male end 45 of arm 44 is inserted into female endopening 34 of sleeve 32 of fish engaging member 16, thereby establishingthe releasable connection between the trigger lever member 14 and thefish engaging member 16. The movement downward of fish engaging member16 tensions the resilient means 18 and locates trigger arm engagingmeans 54 and eyelet 56 near horizontally extending arm 43 of triggerlever member 14. The eyelet portion 56 of trigger arm engaging means 54is then looped over and into engagement with the arm 43. In this manner,the major tension in the trigger lever member 14 is carried by arm 43and part of the tension is conveyed through the arm 44 to the releasableconnection between the trigger lever member 14 and fish engaging member16. Thus, a constant but light pressure is maintained at this releasableconnection point. When the fish engaging member is moved by a fishnibbling on bait (not shown) located on fishhook 28, the releasableconnection is broken as the longer arm portion 45 of trigger levermember 14 is disengaged from sleeve 32 and resilient means 18 causetrigger lever member 14 to pivot on fulcrum pin 36 to a tripped positionas illustrated in FIG. 4. Lost motion member 58, connected to resilientmeans 18, is pulled upward. As lost motion member 58 is connected tofish engaging member 16 via sleeve 32, the fish engaging member 16 is inturn urged upward to its released position as illustrated in FIG. 4 toimplant the hook 28 at the end thereof firmly in the fish's mouth. Thefish engaging member 16 is moved suddenly and the book 28 thereby reactsas a hammer blow to drive the hook into firm engagement with the mouthof the fish. The lost motion member 58 may comprise a loose pliablerope-like member or string made from metal, plastic or fabric. Theamount of slack in member 58 is adjustable to increase or decrease theforce with which the fish engaging member is drawn upwardly to effectthe hammer action on hook 28.

The mode of operation can also be explained in another way. The frame 12supports the relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 for linearmovement. In one position the relay trigger lever fish engaging member16 is spaced from the longest effective end of the trigger lever 14 andin a second position the relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 isengaged with the longest effective end of the trigger lever 14 foranchoring or holding same. When the trigger lever 14 is held by therelay trigger lever fish engaging member 16, the resilient means 18,which is engaged with the short arm portion 43 of the trigger lever 14is held tensioned or cocked (FIG. 1). When the fish bites the bait onhook 28 and the fish engaging member 16 is moved relative to frame 12,the relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 releases from thelongest efiective end 45 of the trigger lever 14, and the trigger lever14 pivots to release the eyelet 56 and permit the resilient means 18 toreturn to untensioned position. As the resilient means 18 moves, it willthrough the lost motion connection 58 with the fish engaging member 16activate same to firmly implant the book 28 in the mouth of the fish.The relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 thus acts as an anchorand upon release of that anchor from the longer arm portion of thetrigger lever member, permits the trigger lever member to release thespring or resilient member 18 and spring or resilient member 18 thenactivates the relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 through thelost motion connection which operatively connects the resilient meansand the relay trigger lever fish engaging member.

As noted earlier, the fish engaging member shank 30 may be circular incross-section, thereby allowing for rotation of member 16 and fishhook28 attached thereto. F ishhook 28 cooperates with saw tooth disk 27 totrap the head of a fish regardless of rotation of the member 16. Ifdesired, a downwardly extending spear could be substituted for disk 27.In such case, shank 30 would be non-circular and retained incomplementary non-circular guide means so as to maintain alignmentbetween hook 28 and the spear.

The adjustment of the trigger lever member release tension depends onthe placement of eyelet portion 56 on arm 43 of the trigger lever member14. Arm 43 has notches intermittently along its length to allowengagement of portion 56 of trigger lever arm engaging means 54 atvarious distances from fulcrum pin 36. The further from the fulcrum pin36 that portion 56 is located, the more tension is increased on triggerlever member 14 and hence tension is increased on the relay triggerlever fish engaging member. If the adjustment feature is not needed,then the eyelet 56 could be joined to arm 44 below the pivot (FIG. 1) orarm 44 between the pivot and first hook (FIG. 5).

The fisherman can place the resilient means connection at whatever pointhe wishes on arm 43 and thus determines the force necessary to releasethe relay trigger fish engaging member which in the illustrated form ofthe invention is a male-female connection. Thus, a very sensitive tripcan be had when small fish are sought or a less sensitive relay triggerlever can be set for larger fish. It is seen that the frame movablysupports the relay trigger lever fish engaging member 16 and the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member is engaged by the dual set triggerlever 14. Resilient means or urging means 18, which may be, for example,a resilient band of rubber, a metal coil spring or the like, engageswith the trigger lever member 14 and is tensioned to retain the triggerlever member in cocked position.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein thetrigger lever member 14- includes arms 43' and 44' and eyelet 56 can beplaced on hooks 60, 62 or 64 located on the longer effective arm 44' oftrigger lever member 14'. In this manner, the tension at the male-femaleconnection between the trigger lever member 14 and fish engaging member16 is adjustable and the fish catching instrumentality operates ashereinbefore described.

The present invention provides an improved fish catching instrumentalitycomprising a frame having guide means thereon, with a relay triggerlever fish engaging member mounted for movement in the guide meansbetween a cooked position and a released position. Resilient means urgethe relay trigger lever fish engaging member toward said releasedposition and a trigger lever member having a first arm and a secondlonger arm is pivotally mounted for movement from set position totripped position. The second longer arm is engageable with the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member for holding the relay trigger leverfish engaging member in the cocked position, whereby when said secondlonger arm of said trigger lever member is disengaged from the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member, the resilient means moves the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member from said cocked position to saidreleased position. Further, the present invention enables adjustment ofthe release tension of the trigger lever member, that is, the releasecan be set for large fish or small fish, so nuisance tripping can beavoided. In addition, the device can be constructed to operateindependently of any set location of the fishhook through thecooperation of the hook and saw tooth disk.

The present invention is not limited to the preferred forms illustrated,but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fish catching instrumentality including a frame, a relay triggerlever fish engaging member movably mounted on the frame for movementbetween a cocked position and a released position; resilient meansurging said fish engaging member toward said released position; andretaining means for releasably retaining said fish engaging member inthe cocked position; said retaining means comprising: a dual set triggerlever member pivotally mounted on the frame for movement from a setposition holding the relay trigger lever fish engaging member in cockedposition to tripped position releasing said fish engaging member topermit said fish engaging member to be moved to said released positionby said resilient means, said trigger lever member in said set positionengaging both said resilient means and said fish engaging member.

2. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which saidengagement between said resilient means and said trigger lever member isadjustable so as to vary the tension on said relay trigger lever member,thereby controlling the release of said fish engaging member from saidcocked position.

3. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which thetrigger lever member comprises a lever having first and second armportions joined together, said trigger lever member being pivotallymounted on said frame at the juncture of said arm portions, said firstarm portion adjustably engaging said resilient means, and said secondarm engaging said fish engaging member.

4. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which saidresilient means has first and second ends, said first end mounted tosaid frame, and said second end having means to engage said first armportion of said trigger lever member.

5. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 3 in which saidfirst arm portion has notches spaced intermittently along its length,said notches adapted to engage said means on said second end of saidresilient means whereby said tension is varied depending on which notchis engaged.

6. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 3 in which saidsecond arm portion of said trigger member is releasable from said fishengaging member by means of an interengageable male and femaleconnection, said fish engaging member having first and second ends, saidfirst end including a sleeve with an opening therein that forms saidfemale member of said releasable means, said second arm portion formingthe male portion of said releasable means, and said second arm portionbeing detachably engaged with said sleeve.

7. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which theresilient means includes a lost motion member connected between saidfish engaging member and said first arm portion engaging means on saidsecond end of said resilient means, whereby when the trigger member isreleased from said fish engaging member, said fish engaging member willbe moved suddenly to firmly engage the fish.

8. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which saidresilient means includes a band of elastic material, said band beingadjustably engageable with said trigger lever member, said band alsobeing connected by said lost motion member to said fish engaging member,whereby when said trigger lever member is released from said fishengaging member, said band of elastic material jerks said fish engagingmember toward said released position.

9. A fish engaging instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which asaw tooth disk on said frame cooperates with said fish engaging memberregardless of rotation of said fish engaging member.

10. A fish engaging instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which thetrigger lever member comprises first and second arm portions, saidtrigger lever member being pivotally mounted on said frame at one end ofsaid first arm portion, said second arm portion having hooks attachedalong its length, said hooks adapted to engage said means on said secondend of said resilient means whereby said tension is varied de pending onwhich hook is engaged. I

11. A fish engaging instrumentality as in claim 7 in which the lostmotion member is adjustable in order to vary the force with which thefish engaging member is moved suddenly to firmly engage the fish.

12. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which thetrigger lever member comprises a lever having first and second armportions, said first arm portion adjustably engaging said resilientmeans, and said second arm portion engaging said fish engagingmember.

3. A fish catching mstrumentahty COl'IlpllSll'lg a frame having guidemeans thereon; a relay trigger lever fish engaging member mounted formovement in the guide means between a cocked position and a releasedposition; resilient means urging said relay trigger lever fish engagingmember toward said released position; and retaining means for releasablyretaining said relay trigger lever fish engaging member in the cockedposition, said retaining means including a trigger lever memberpivotally mounted for movement from a set position holding the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member in cocked position to trippedposition releasing said relay trigger lever fish engaging member topermit said relay trigger lever fish engaging member to be moved to saidreleased position by said resilient means, said trigger lever memberincluding a first arm and a second longer arm, the second longer armbeing engageable with said relay trigger lever fish engaging member forholding said relay trigger lever fish engaging member in the cockedposition, whereby when said second longer arm of said trigger levermember is disengaged from said relay trigger lever fish engaging member,said resilient means moves said relay trigger lever fish engaging memberfrom said cocked position to said released position.

14. A fish catching instrumentality including a frame, a trigger levermember pivotally mounted on the frame, said trigger lever member havinga first arm portion and a second longer arm portion, resilient means onthe frame adapted to be engaged with the trigger lever member, a relaytrigger lever fish engaging member on the frame movable between aposition engaging the second arm portion of the trigger lever member tohold the resilient means tensioned to a position released from thetrigger lever member, said resilient means being operatively connectedto said relay trigger lever fish engaging member through a lost motionconnection, whereby when the relay trigger lever fish engaging member ismoved relative to the frame, the relay trigger lever fish engagingmember releases the longer arm portion of the trigger lever member,permitting the trigger lever member to release the resilient means,which then through the lost motion connection with the relay triggerlever fish engaging member activates the relay trigger lever fishengaging member.

1. A fish catching instrumentality including a frame, a relay triggerlever fish engaging member movably mounted on the frame for movementbetween a cocked position and a released position; resilient meansurging said fish engaging member toward said released position; andretaining mEans for releasably retaining said fish engaging member inthe cocked position; said retaining means comprising: a dual set triggerlever member pivotally mounted on the frame for movement from a setposition holding the relay trigger lever fish engaging member in cockedposition to tripped position releasing said fish engaging member topermit said fish engaging member to be moved to said released positionby said resilient means, said trigger lever member in said set positionengaging both said resilient means and said fish engaging member.
 2. Afish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which saidengagement between said resilient means and said trigger lever member isadjustable so as to vary the tension on said relay trigger lever member,thereby controlling the release of said fish engaging member from saidcocked position.
 3. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth inclaim 1 in which the trigger lever member comprises a lever having firstand second arm portions joined together, said trigger lever member beingpivotally mounted on said frame at the juncture of said arm portions,said first arm portion adjustably engaging said resilient means, andsaid second arm engaging said fish engaging member.
 4. A fish catchinginstrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which said resilient meanshas first and second ends, said first end mounted to said frame, andsaid second end having means to engage said first arm portion of saidtrigger lever member.
 5. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth inclaim 3 in which said first arm portion has notches spacedintermittently along its length, said notches adapted to engage saidmeans on said second end of said resilient means whereby said tension isvaried depending on which notch is engaged.
 6. A fish catchinginstrumentality as set forth in claim 3 in which said second arm portionof said trigger member is releasable from said fish engaging member bymeans of an interengageable male and female connection, said fishengaging member having first and second ends, said first end including asleeve with an opening therein that forms said female member of saidreleasable means, said second arm portion forming the male portion ofsaid releasable means, and said second arm portion being detachablyengaged with said sleeve.
 7. A fish catching instrumentality as setforth in claim 1 in which the resilient means includes a lost motionmember connected between said fish engaging member and said first armportion engaging means on said second end of said resilient means,whereby when the trigger member is released from said fish engagingmember, said fish engaging member will be moved suddenly to firmlyengage the fish.
 8. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth inclaim 1 in which said resilient means includes a band of elasticmaterial, said band being adjustably engageable with said trigger levermember, said band also being connected by said lost motion member tosaid fish engaging member, whereby when said trigger lever member isreleased from said fish engaging member, said band of elastic materialjerks said fish engaging member toward said released position.
 9. A fishengaging instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which a saw toothdisk on said frame cooperates with said fish engaging member regardlessof rotation of said fish engaging member.
 10. A fish engaginginstrumentality as set forth in claim 1 in which the trigger levermember comprises first and second arm portions, said trigger levermember being pivotally mounted on said frame at one end of said firstarm portion, said second arm portion having hooks attached along itslength, said hooks adapted to engage said means on said second end ofsaid resilient means whereby said tension is varied depending on whichhook is engaged.
 11. A fish engaging instrumentality as in claim 7 inwhich the lost motion member is adjustable in order to vary the forcewith which the fish engaging member is moved suddenly to firmly engagethE fish.
 12. A fish catching instrumentality as set forth in claim 1 inwhich the trigger lever member comprises a lever having first and secondarm portions, said first arm portion adjustably engaging said resilientmeans, and said second arm portion engaging said fish engaging member.13. A fish catching instrumentality comprising a frame having guidemeans thereon; a relay trigger lever fish engaging member mounted formovement in the guide means between a cocked position and a releasedposition; resilient means urging said relay trigger lever fish engagingmember toward said released position; and retaining means for releasablyretaining said relay trigger lever fish engaging member in the cockedposition, said retaining means including a trigger lever memberpivotally mounted for movement from a set position holding the relaytrigger lever fish engaging member in cocked position to trippedposition releasing said relay trigger lever fish engaging member topermit said relay trigger lever fish engaging member to be moved to saidreleased position by said resilient means, said trigger lever memberincluding a first arm and a second longer arm, the second longer armbeing engageable with said relay trigger lever fish engaging member forholding said relay trigger lever fish engaging member in the cockedposition, whereby when said second longer arm of said trigger levermember is disengaged from said relay trigger lever fish engaging member,said resilient means moves said relay trigger lever fish engaging memberfrom said cocked position to said released position.
 14. A fish catchinginstrumentality including a frame, a trigger lever member pivotallymounted on the frame, said trigger lever member having a first armportion and a second longer arm portion, resilient means on the frameadapted to be engaged with the trigger lever member, a relay triggerlever fish engaging member on the frame movable between a positionengaging the second arm portion of the trigger lever member to hold theresilient means tensioned to a position released from the trigger levermember, said resilient means being operatively connected to said relaytrigger lever fish engaging member through a lost motion connection,whereby when the relay trigger lever fish engaging member is movedrelative to the frame, the relay trigger lever fish engaging memberreleases the longer arm portion of the trigger lever member, permittingthe trigger lever member to release the resilient means, which thenthrough the lost motion connection with the relay trigger lever fishengaging member activates the relay trigger lever fish engaging member.